What are the benefits of proofreading?

At their core, proofreading services involve correcting errors in a written document that relate to issues such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Expert proofreaders will be able to tweak your sentences, ensuring that they flow in a smooth way, whilst making sense. They can also reduce repetition, fix inconsistencies, and adapt your use of language to suit the purpose of your document. These are some of the many benefits of proofreading that, at first glance, seem extremely valuable.

Considering the purpose of a proofreading and editing service, then, the benefits of hiring a professional proofreader to work on your document may seem clear. In the end, most proofreaders are experts in the English language, which means that they can spot many of the errors and inconsistencies that, if left unchecked, would be seen by your  professors, colleagues, or customers. These errors and inconsistencies may cost you marks, lead to embarrassment, and they could even affect your bottom line.

Nevertheless, there are more benefits to using proofreading services than the improvement of your language and writing style alone. Perhaps the most obvious additional benefit of proofreading relates to the time you can save if you recruit somebody else to work with. If your area of expertise is not the English language, it may take you a long time to perfect your written work. For this reason, the time-saving benefit associated with using a proofreading service can be a huge saving in both time and money.

If you have never hired a professional proofreader to work on your documents before, you might be surprised at just how much they can improve your documents and, alongside this, save you work time. Furthermore, if your proofreader happens to be an expert in the area that you are writing in, a valuable benefit can come from the advice they may offer that does not relate only to your use of language. For example, in academic writing, proofreaders who have experience in this area may be able to spot suboptimal areas in your document.

Another important benefit that comes when you hire a professional proofreader relates to the peace of mind and assurance you gain. For all of us who have attended university or written a CV for an important job application, this benefit will resonate especially strongly. When somebody else checks over your document gives it the green light, particularly when that person is a trained and vetted professional, that can give you the confidence you need to send off your document without a cause for concern.

Altogether, the benefits of proofreading are far-reaching and should always be considered, if you are not confident on your work being presented correctly. These services are increasingly available on the Internet and, what’s more, they are becoming more affordable every day. It’s always important, however, to ensure that you are working with a responsible, careful, and experienced expert. If you forget to check this, many of the benefits of proofreading mentioned in this article could turn to become very significant and costly disadvantages for you. Nevertheless, don’t let this stop you from giving this type of service a go!

Is it acceptable to have someone proofread your essay?

The purpose of a proofreading service is to put the final polish on your document after it has already been written, checked over, and finalised in terms of its content. Proofreading services should not be used unless you have reached this final stage in the writing process. This is because when you hire somebody to catch all the pesky unseen errors in your document, and then you add new content and start rearranging things, you are likely to add more inconsistencies or errors, which calls for further proofreading. This, of course, is not the most efficient way to perfect your written work.

With all that said, an important question still remains: Is it acceptable to ask someone to proofread your essay? After all, writing an academic essay is a task that only one person is assigned, and so bringing someone else into the process may initially seem dishonest. This dilemma is especially strong amongst people who have never used proofreading services before, especially students. Furthermore, once you’ve put all the hard work into researching and writing your essay, thesis, or dissertation, you may have a strong aversion to recruiting the help of somebody else at the very last stage, particularly when you feel you could clear this last hurdle alone.

It’s a legitimate question to ask whether it is acceptable or dishonest to have someone other than you proofread your essay. While the answer, from my point of view, is that it is most definitely acceptable and, furthermore, essential to have someone proofread your work (e.g. a friend or family member, or even a professional who provides a proofreading and editing service), it’s worth offering a brief rebuttal to the position held by someone who would suggest it is not acceptable. It seems very clear to me that there is nothing at all wrong with recruiting a second pair of eyes to make sure your written work is perfect, but some people – albeit a limited number of them – appear to believe it is.

The only reason why someone might argue that it is unacceptable to have someone proofread your essay is that they view it as a form of cheating. Someone who holds this position would suggest that, because some of the marks you receive for your essay are awarded for the general use of language, using the services of another person means that they – rather than you – are receiving those marks. Therefore, since you are submitting the work under your own name and not the name of the person who helped you with the final proofreading task, this represents a form of cheating, and is thus unacceptable.

This argument is compelling, but it does not stand on firm ground. Consider the fact that all of the leading Russel Group Universities in the United Kingdom, as well as most of the leading universities worldwide, explicitly state that the use of external proofreaders is perfectly acceptable. Although the proofreading policies of all universities and academic institutions emphasize the importance of declaring that a paid proofreader was involved, the policies themselves clearly indicate that it is acceptable, and that it is not a form of cheating or dishonesty, to have someone else help you in the proofreading process for your written work. These types of services can benefit the owner, as the service provider will hi-lite areas of concern and make the appropriate changes and inform the owner as to why they were made, which can prove to be invaluable for their next presentation.

3 reasons why you need an academic editor

It is well-known that collaboration lies at the heart of science. Indeed, research is typically undertaken in a group setting, learning is usually advanced when people interact in seminars and tutorials, and all high-quality research papers are peer-reviewed before publication.

For this reason, drawing on the knowledge of others when you are proofreading and editing your work, and even using professional proofreading and editing services, is crucial whenever you produce any academic writing.

Whether you are looking to improve your grades at university or refine your ground-breaking research paper, finding an academic editor to work with is always a good idea. The purpose of this article is to present 3 valid reasons why academic editing is indispensable.

 

Editing eliminates bias

In academic writing, you are often marked on whether you can write in a non-biased, well-balanced way. For example, if you are writing about the strengths of your dissertation’s methodology in your concluding chapter but you neglect to address its limitations, this will be taken as a serious red flag by your markers.

If you work with an academic editor, however, they will highlight all of the areas where your arguments exhibit bias or lack balance. In the above example, a good academic editor would encourage you to mention at least a few of the methodological limitations of your dissertation, knowing that this would greatly improve your mark.

 

Image: Editors can help add balance to your writing

Editing improves your credibility

If your academic work is written in a clumsy way, you will quickly alienate the reader. At the same time, if your written work is replete with spelling mistakes, referencing inconsistencies, and incorrect technical terminologies, your credibility in the eyes of the reader will fall substantially. When your work contains so many basic errors, the reader will be justified in questioning whether you are an authority on the topic.

To counter this, working with a strong academic editor, especially a professional who has experience in your area of study, will allow you to catch these errors before you submit your document. As a result, rather than conveying a sense of incompetence or carelessness to your reader, your reader is likely to be impressed by the high-quality, concise, and accurate nature of the written work you have produced. In this way, working with an editor can have a beneficial impact on your credibility.

 

Image: Without good editing, you may not come across as having authority

Editing helps you learn

Since most editors today make revisions to written work using Microsoft Word’s ‘track changes’ feature, it is possible for you to review any of the changes they have made. As a result, you can spot all the areas where you made mistakes and grammatical errors that require correction. Due to this process, not only will you receive a much-improved document, but you will also have the chance to learn from all the corrections that were made by the editor.

 

Managing your time as a university student

University students are often unaccustomed to the greater challenges, workload, and time commitment associated with university and college compared to secondary education. The use of editing services when writing papers, or even using an editing service to help respond to emails or supervisor feedback is helpful, but time management is something that is ultimately left to the individual.

In everything a university student does, there is a trade-off in terms of time spent on one task rather than another. However, if you recognise what is draining your time and use reasonable strategies to address the situation, you are likely to find that you can balance all of your commitments effectively. Even if you are studying on the most demanding course, you should still be able to satisfy all of your course requirements and have a peaceful night’s sleep.

 

1. Create a checklist or schedule

Doctors, pilots, entrepreneurs, and many other professionals use checklists or schedules to ensure that they make optimal use of their time. As a university student, you are likely to have many tasks and events for both, personal and academic – competing for your attention. For this reason, using a checklist or schedule to write down all your tasks, and then to cross them out when they are finished, is worthwhile. There is also something very rewarding about checking off every task in a checklist, which can drive you on and give you momentum.

 

Image: Crossing items off your checklist can give you a psychological boost

2. Prioritise your tasks

If you don’t already have a to-do list, schedule, or checklist, you should create one (as we draw attention to in the previous tip). Once you have, the next crucial step is to order your tasks based on their priority. To improve your ability to identify tasks that are high-priority and those that are low-priority, one of the key questions to ask yourself is the following: “Will doing this task on my to-do list help me resolve others?” If there is a clear answer to this question, those are the tasks you should prioritise.

 

3. Use rewards

Oftentimes, you – as a university student – desperately want to purchase a product or attend a social event. Even if you have the money and time to do so without sacrificing too much, use the desires you have to help you achieve your academic goals and manage your time more effectively. For example, if you stick to a routine where, every time you cross a task of your checklist, you add £0.50 to a saving jar for something you want to buy, you’ll begin to find that this has dramatically positive impact on your productivity and efficiency.  

 

4. Get an early start

If you wake up early in the morning, you are less likely to rush and, as a result, you are less likely to experience time-related stress. Also, when you wake up early, you may benefit from the fact that many of the people you live with do not. As a result, this will help you to remove things from your environment that are distracting you, helping you to manage your time much more effectively.

 

Image: Rise early to make the most of your day

Strategies for writing a good plot

Many resources are available that authors can use to make their life easier. Editing and proofreading services are one of the most widely-used resources, as well as book proofreading services UK. However, these services are usually used when an author has finished their book, or when they are in the stages of finalising something that has already been written.

Dissimilar to other types of writing Proofreading services and aids for authors, assistance in terms of planning and writing a good plot is somewhat lacking. Furthermore, many authors believe – perhaps rightly so – that if another person writes their plot for them, this is a form of cheating or an unacceptably substantial shortcut. For this reason, this article outlines a few of the strategies you can use to create an excellent plot for your next book.

 

1. Know what a plot is

This sounds patronisingly obvious, but having a clear understanding of what a plot is – or, so to speak, the general essence of plots – is fundamental. Therefore, this article must begin with a definition of the concept of a plot in a piece of fictional writing.

A plot refers to a sequence of interrelated events that a writer devises in order to engage a reader. A plot can also be viewed, perhaps more helpfully, as a complication followed by the resolution of the complication.

 

Image: Devising a plot lies at the centre of creative writing

2. Remain focused

By this, we do not mean that you yourself should remain focused (though, of course, you should). Instead, we mean that your manuscript should remain focused. Remember in the previous step that we defined a plot as a complication followed by the resolution of the complication. With this in mind, the sequence of interrelated events that you devise to serve as your plot should, in a focused way, always move the reader onwards to the resolution.

 

3. Know when enough is enough

Awful plots are bad, boring, or unsuccessful for diverse reasons. However, one of the most common reasons why a plot is unsuccessful is due to the phenomenon known as “plot overkill”. If the sequence of interrelated events that defines your plot establishes a complication and resolves that complication, stop! There is no need to continue dragging everything out with new events that occur after the plot’s resolution.

 

Image: Books vary in length, but knowing when to stop is fundamental

4. Learn about common types of plots

The main types of plots are tragedy, comedy, hero’s journey, rebirth, overcoming the monster, voyage and return, and rags to riches. Each type of plot is associated with clear and well-defined contours, and although these plots have been used endlessly, they never get old. If you use these types of plots as a general framework, in which you set a novel sequence of interrelated events, your book is likely to win over your reader and keep their attention.

How to write a strong reference letter

As a professional academic or businessperson, a rewarding aspect of your role is the opportunity to write letters of recommendation, or reference letters, for either students or employees you have supervised or managed within your workplace. Even if you use professional proofreading services to speed up the process, writing reference letters can become extremely time-consuming, especially if you are doing so for the first time.

Knowing about the main sections that you should include in your reference letter can accelerate the process tremendously. This is because, once you know the structure, the text itself tends to come much more rapidly. In many cases, referees find that, having figured out a logical and reasonable structure, the letter almost writes itself. In addition to making use of professional proofreading, following the structure described below is worthwhile.

 

1. Greeting

All good reference letters begin with the correct salutation. In most cases, especially when you are not on friendly terms with the recipient of the reference letter, you should use a formal salutation. In rare cases, you can use an informal greeting.

Often, the employee or student you are referring will give you the name of the recipient, meaning that you can simply address the letter directly to them (e.g., “Dear Mr. Jones”). If you are unsure about the name of the recipient, use the salutation “To whom it may concern”.

 

Image: Think about whether you should use a formal or informal salutation

2. Opening paragraph

The first paragraph of your reference letter should set out all the critical information about who you are, who you are referring, and why you are referring them. Begin by stating who you are and what your professional role is, and briefly explain how long you have known the candidate. You can end this section by describing the position you are recommending the candidate for, and briefly explaining why you are their referee.

 

3. Main body

In one, two, or three paragraphs, describe the candidate’s suitability and, for lack of a better term, sell the candidate. Try to be as concise as you can, and remember that the recipient of your letter, as a busy recruitment professional, has limited time. Therefore, consider restricting yourself to a description of the candidate’s main attributes (especially those that make them a suitable person for the role) and their qualifications or achievements.

 

Image: Knowing the details about the candidate you are referring is vital

4. Closing paragraph and contact information

Use the closing paragraph of your reference letter to reiterate your endorsement of the candidate. Also, just in case the recipient of the letter would like to contact you for more information, remember to include your contact information, such as your phone number and email address. You can then end your letter with an appropriate valediction (e.g., “Sincerely” or “Best Regards”).

How to publish your journal article: 5 straightforward steps

For researchers and academics who are in the early stages of their career, the need to publish journal articles is well-known. Even if you use proofreading, rewriting, or editing services to speed up the process of writing your journal article, the next step – that is, publishing it – is not as simple or convenient. For this reason, here are five straightforward steps to follow if you are in the process of publishing your journal article.

 

1. Choose your journal

The first essential step to publish your journal article is to choose the type of journal that you will write for. At the outset, research journals related to your field and try to choose one that has the narrowest possible scope. For example, if you want to write up your research results on the performance of surgical staff in an intensive care unit, consider journals like Critical Care Medicine or Journal of Intensive Care Medicine.

 

2. Check your journal’s author submission guidelines

Every reputable journal offers detailed author submission guidelines. These guidelines will be publicly available on the journal’s website, and so you should be able to find them fairly conveniently.

Your journal’s author submission guidelines will contain clear and comprehensive instructions for the formatting, referencing, word count, and use of language in your journal article. It will also provide information about how you can submit your paper and any additional materials or resources that are needed (e.g., an abstract, keywords, and so on).

When you are writing your journal article, it is always useful to have checked your target journal’s author submission guidelines in advance. If you don’t, you may have to make some changes to your manuscript before submitting it.

 

3. Edit and proofread your journal article

This is a critical but regularly overlooked stage. Use an editing and proofreading service before you consider submitting your journal article, and once the editing process is finished, be sure to proofread your document thoroughly (if your editor has not done so already).

 

4. Write your cover letter

In your cover letter, state what the journal article you are submitting is about, but don’t go on for too long about this. Remember that the person reading your cover letter will also be reading your article, and so there is no need to go into any great level of detail.

Consider writing about the context surrounding your journal article, including your academic career, your interests, and the contributions of your research. Mentioning these issues is likely to have a significant impact on the way you are received by your reviewers.

 

5. Revise your journal article and resubmit

Journal articles are seldom accepted without a request for revisions from your peer-reviewers at the journal. It is important to understand that even if you’ve put substantial amounts of time and energy into your manuscript, you will invariably receive a set of recommended revisions. At this point, follow the instructions and guidance of the reviewers, and once you’ve done so, you will be ready for resubmission and, finally, publication.